PLB question
- Thread starter nancy324
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nancy324
Cathlete
I'm bumping this old post of mine because I can't get past this problem. I'm so frustrated! Every time I attempt PLB I think this time I'm going to be able to do the lunges, and everytime I get creamed on the first set! I can do all the lunges on all the other workouts!! I thought about starting with the lunges, but then I doubt I would be able to get thru the leg presses, right?
I'm so discouraged. :-(
If I'm the only one experiencing this, please let me know. I usually avoid asking Cathe questions, but I'm considering it for this one. So, whether or not you have this problem, please respond and let me know. Thanks folks!
I'm so discouraged. :-(
If I'm the only one experiencing this, please let me know. I usually avoid asking Cathe questions, but I'm considering it for this one. So, whether or not you have this problem, please respond and let me know. Thanks folks!
getnfit@39
Cathlete
Hi Nancy,
I experienced some difficulty getting through the lunges on PLB the first 2 times I did it so I just lowered my weight considerably in order to complete each rep/set.
I usually can go much heavier in other workouts, but for PLB, my lunge weights are: 25#bb-30#bb-35#bb, and even with this weight I feel a considerable burn! I don't know what it is about this particular workout, but just go as low as you need to. I figure in time I'll build to a heavier weight, but until then, it is what it is!
So use what you need to make it work for you!
Donna
Fitness~ It's a journey, not a race!
I experienced some difficulty getting through the lunges on PLB the first 2 times I did it so I just lowered my weight considerably in order to complete each rep/set.
I usually can go much heavier in other workouts, but for PLB, my lunge weights are: 25#bb-30#bb-35#bb, and even with this weight I feel a considerable burn! I don't know what it is about this particular workout, but just go as low as you need to. I figure in time I'll build to a heavier weight, but until then, it is what it is!
So use what you need to make it work for you! Donna
Fitness~ It's a journey, not a race!
I had no trouble at all with the lunges - I used 30#db, 35#bb and 40#bb...BUT, I did wake up the next morning very sore right behind my knees from the hamstring work on the stability ball...I'm thinking maybe I was putting too much pressure into my heels to keep the ball from rolling. It's gone now (I just worked through it), but I was wondering if anyone else experienced this - I hardly ever have muscle soreness, unless I've taken a break from weight work for awhile...Anyone????
Robin
Robin
NittyGritty
Active Member
I had this problem with Leaner Legs. The first time I did it I couldn't make it through the warm-up! The squats and lunges killed me! I had to do the tape with no weights at all.
After a few tries I finally got through it weightless so I added weights, a little at a time. For a long time I was stuck at 5 lb dumbbells but I kept at it until I could match Cathe and even surpass her on some of the exercises.
If you can't finish the sets weightless, just keep trying! Say you can only do 3 reps of lunges on each leg... the next time, you try to do more than 3. Try to do every other lunge at first, and then all of them.
Just work your way up until you can do all the reps with good form. And be proud of yourself for any progress you make!
After a few tries I finally got through it weightless so I added weights, a little at a time. For a long time I was stuck at 5 lb dumbbells but I kept at it until I could match Cathe and even surpass her on some of the exercises.
If you can't finish the sets weightless, just keep trying! Say you can only do 3 reps of lunges on each leg... the next time, you try to do more than 3. Try to do every other lunge at first, and then all of them.
Just work your way up until you can do all the reps with good form. And be proud of yourself for any progress you make!
PennyLaney
Cathlete
I felt that too, Robin!
Robin,
The day after doing the ball work in PLB, I only felt soreness behind each knee. My hamstrings weren't sore at all. I think I may have been doing something wrong. Any advice? I'd like to actually work my hamstrings. It felt like the ligaments in the back of my knees were overworked.
PennyLaney
Robin,
The day after doing the ball work in PLB, I only felt soreness behind each knee. My hamstrings weren't sore at all. I think I may have been doing something wrong. Any advice? I'd like to actually work my hamstrings. It felt like the ligaments in the back of my knees were overworked.
PennyLaney
nancy324
Cathlete
AHA!! I just thought of something:
No one is having the problems I am having BUT the mini step is not out yet. So, unless you have 5 sets of risers, you guys are not going the full 14" on the leg presses, right??
I have the Novel Notion box, and I am doing all 5 reps of the leg raises on a 14" box.
So, let me know how you are doing with the lunges AND how high you are going on the leg presses, okay? This will help clarify whether there is something wrong with my legs. Thanks.
No one is having the problems I am having BUT the mini step is not out yet. So, unless you have 5 sets of risers, you guys are not going the full 14" on the leg presses, right??
I have the Novel Notion box, and I am doing all 5 reps of the leg raises on a 14" box.
So, let me know how you are doing with the lunges AND how high you are going on the leg presses, okay? This will help clarify whether there is something wrong with my legs. Thanks.
Penny: I DID feel my hamstrings were worked, just not sore...but the backs of my knees were UNUSUALLY sore, for me anyway. Next time I think I'll try them on the box instead of the ball. I do think I was digging my heel into the ball and putting too much tension on those ligaments and not enough on the hamstrings...
Nancy: I use a 14" box for leg raises and have since my hubby made me one back in the "dark ages" when I started doing the Firm Vol.3 (was that the late 80's, early 90's ladies?)...love what it does to these keep these 48 year old glutes in shape!!
Robin
Nancy: I use a 14" box for leg raises and have since my hubby made me one back in the "dark ages" when I started doing the Firm Vol.3 (was that the late 80's, early 90's ladies?)...love what it does to these keep these 48 year old glutes in shape!!
Robin
getnfit@39
Cathlete
I use 15.5" for leg presses. I use my super step bench w/all 4 risers which puts the total height at 15.5"
It does bring a whole new meaning to leg presses! Prior to using it, I was using a stepstool/toolbox that was about 13-14"? And THAT was challenging enough!
Donna
Fitness~ It's a journey, not a race!
It does bring a whole new meaning to leg presses! Prior to using it, I was using a stepstool/toolbox that was about 13-14"? And THAT was challenging enough!
Donna
Fitness~ It's a journey, not a race!
kathryn
Cathlete
I don't have the mini step, but I have acquired enough risers for my regular step to go up to 14". I use that height for the leg presses in Boot Camp and Muscle Endurance, since they are lighter. For PLB, I use a 12" step because I use heavier weights. I also like to concentrate on taking a little "dip" at the lower end, before pressing up through the foot that's on the step. I feel it in my glutes more.
I'm doing PLB later today for the second time, so maybe I'll pay attention to whether I do the lunges or not (see previous post).
Some suggestions for working into them (which is what I had to do with PH--the first time I did that workout, I totally skipped the lunges. Then, little by little, I built up to doing the entire set. The last time I did PH, the lunges actually didn't feel like they took that long at all!).
Are you actually doing them with no weight? If so, you might want to do just the 12 rep and the 8 rep sets (set 1, 3 and 5), giving yourself some extra rest in between (while Cathe and crew do sets 2 and 4).
If you are using weights, you might want to do the same thing. You could also reduce your weight by about 10# just for this exercise, then work back up iin 2.5# increments (if you get those cool 1.25# Troy rubberized plates that are available at fitness1st.com (a site you introduced me to).
I'm doing PLB later today for the second time, so maybe I'll pay attention to whether I do the lunges or not (see previous post).
Some suggestions for working into them (which is what I had to do with PH--the first time I did that workout, I totally skipped the lunges. Then, little by little, I built up to doing the entire set. The last time I did PH, the lunges actually didn't feel like they took that long at all!).
Are you actually doing them with no weight? If so, you might want to do just the 12 rep and the 8 rep sets (set 1, 3 and 5), giving yourself some extra rest in between (while Cathe and crew do sets 2 and 4).
If you are using weights, you might want to do the same thing. You could also reduce your weight by about 10# just for this exercise, then work back up iin 2.5# increments (if you get those cool 1.25# Troy rubberized plates that are available at fitness1st.com (a site you introduced me to).
nancy324
Cathlete
Kathryn-
Let me know what happens with your lunges today.
Sadly, I wasn't kidding about doing the lunges with no weight. I figure it makes more sense to actually try to get through them before I start adding weight, right?
I know exactly what you mean about PH. I had the exact same experience. Wasn't it wonderful to finally be able to get through all the low ends? I don't know why the PLB lunges are giving me such a problem (I wonder if I lost some endurance ability while I was on my S&H rotation for 4 weeks??), but you're right, I should stop worrying about it and just build up slowly like I did with PH.
Thanks much for your suggestions and encouragement!
Let me know what happens with your lunges today.
Sadly, I wasn't kidding about doing the lunges with no weight. I figure it makes more sense to actually try to get through them before I start adding weight, right?
I know exactly what you mean about PH. I had the exact same experience. Wasn't it wonderful to finally be able to get through all the low ends? I don't know why the PLB lunges are giving me such a problem (I wonder if I lost some endurance ability while I was on my S&H rotation for 4 weeks??), but you're right, I should stop worrying about it and just build up slowly like I did with PH.
Thanks much for your suggestions and encouragement!
NittyGritty
Active Member
I do my leg presses with the 14" box I've been using for Firm leg presses since 1995. I use it for Cathe's leg presses in Leaner Legs and PS SL&A. I always heavy up on the leg presses, too. On PLB I've been doing 30 - 35 - 40.
I think you just need to keep working on it. Right now I can do on-the-knee pushups, and most of the on-the-toes pushups, but when Cathe puts staggered push-ups into the mix, I flop. But I keep working on it and one day I WILL SUCCEED!
And now she's thrown those gol-durn pikes into the mix... and it'll probably take me weeks (or even months!) to learn 'em because I sure as heck can't do 'em now. But one day... I WILL!
I think you just need to keep working on it. Right now I can do on-the-knee pushups, and most of the on-the-toes pushups, but when Cathe puts staggered push-ups into the mix, I flop. But I keep working on it and one day I WILL SUCCEED!
And now she's thrown those gol-durn pikes into the mix... and it'll probably take me weeks (or even months!) to learn 'em because I sure as heck can't do 'em now. But one day... I WILL!
kathryn
Cathlete
>Kathryn-
>
>Let me know what happens with your lunges today.
>
>Thanks much for your suggestions and encouragement!
>
>
I'm baaack... all sweaty and shaky, fresh off my PLB workout. [Well,actually, not THAT fresh, as I don't shower before I workout...another reason why I prefer home workouts!.] This is one great workout for hamstrings!
I got through the lunges o.k., but I was really feeling the last 2 reps of the last set! As I said before, I do go lighter on this workout because it's a very new way of training for me. As a comparison, on PH and MIS and PH, I have been using a 35-40# barbell plus 19# weight vest (total of 54-59#) for squats, but on PLB, I use a 35# 40# and 45# barbell, with no weight vest. For lunges, I've found it's easier on my knees, and allows me to dip a bit farther, if I elevate my front foot on a platform, usually the 4" topper to my step. Karen Andes recommends doing lunges this way to put less stress on the knee.
I also modify (some may say cheat, but I say, if it works, then go for it) by extending the rests between some sets (partly because I'm nowhere near being a candidate for the Guiness book of records title holder for speed of changing weights, like Cathe and the crew sometimes are. I don't putz around, but I take the time I need. I also put a double break (resting twice as long as they do) between leg press and lunges, and between lunges and squats/pliés. I probably added 5 minutes to the workout by lengthening the rests (which is better than I usually do with PH, where I lengthen a lot of the rests between body parts, and between squats and pliés).
>
>Let me know what happens with your lunges today.
>
>Thanks much for your suggestions and encouragement!
>
>
I'm baaack... all sweaty and shaky, fresh off my PLB workout. [Well,actually, not THAT fresh, as I don't shower before I workout...another reason why I prefer home workouts!.] This is one great workout for hamstrings!
I got through the lunges o.k., but I was really feeling the last 2 reps of the last set! As I said before, I do go lighter on this workout because it's a very new way of training for me. As a comparison, on PH and MIS and PH, I have been using a 35-40# barbell plus 19# weight vest (total of 54-59#) for squats, but on PLB, I use a 35# 40# and 45# barbell, with no weight vest. For lunges, I've found it's easier on my knees, and allows me to dip a bit farther, if I elevate my front foot on a platform, usually the 4" topper to my step. Karen Andes recommends doing lunges this way to put less stress on the knee.
I also modify (some may say cheat, but I say, if it works, then go for it) by extending the rests between some sets (partly because I'm nowhere near being a candidate for the Guiness book of records title holder for speed of changing weights, like Cathe and the crew sometimes are. I don't putz around, but I take the time I need. I also put a double break (resting twice as long as they do) between leg press and lunges, and between lunges and squats/pliés. I probably added 5 minutes to the workout by lengthening the rests (which is better than I usually do with PH, where I lengthen a lot of the rests between body parts, and between squats and pliés).
Wow you are really doing PH with 54-59#, impressive!! I do my S&H work with 72# for squats and 60# for lunges, but I couldn't dream of doing endurance type work with 54-59#. I'm thankful to use a 30# bar on my shoulder's for PH and I'm pretty beat after that. Endurance just isn't my thing. I wanted to add Nancy....you mentioned not using any weights and just getting through it with that. I find it interesting that when I do the warm up for LL I feel like I'm wiped (like I could never do squats with any weight) and then I use a 35# bar for the the rest of it and funny thing is putting the bar on my shoulders doesn't seem to make it loads tougher than with no bar at all. They are both tough!!!! So what I'm saying is keep it up with or without weights.....you will probably be suprised that you will be able to move up quickly.
Briee
Briee